“Light Triad”: Adaptation and Psychometric Indicators

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the questionnaire used to measure the characteristics of the Light Triad model. The Light Triad consists of three characteristics: Faith in humanity, Humanism and Kantianism. As a counterpoint to the Dark Triad model, the Light Triad model emphasizes the importance of studying positive or prosocial personality traits instead of focusing on negative characteristics. The study included 576 participants aged 17 to 25, with 437 of them being women. Respondents completed three questionnaires: the Light Triad Adapted Questionnaire, the Dark Tetrad Short Questionnaire, and the Big Five Short Questionnaire. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the three-factor structure of the Light Triad questionnaire, and the fit indices were comparable to those from the original study of the Light Triad questionnaire and other adaptations. The scales of the Light Triad questionnaire demonstrate sufficient reliability and align with the findings of other adaptation studies. The convergent and discriminant validity of the questionnaire is acceptable. In contrast to the scale of Kantianism, the scales of Faith in humanity and Humanism are similar in terms of content. The characteristics of the Light Triad have negative associations (mild or moderate correlations) with the scales of the Dark Tetrad, which enhances the reliability of the construct. There are positive correlations between the Light Triad and the Big Five traits. Positive associations between the Light Triad trait and the Agreeableness trait raise questions about a potential overlap between these characteristics. Taking into account its limitations, an adapted questionnaire can be used in research. However, further investigation is needed to assess its psychometric features.